Which is better: packing a rice cooker or relying on street food for a week in Vietnam?

I spent a week in Hanoi last March and tried both approaches. First three days I packed instant noodles and a tiny burner, saved maybe $12 total but felt like I was missing out. Then I gave in and ate pho and banh mi from street stalls for $2 a meal, had way more fun but worried about hygiene after one sketchy spring roll gave me the runs. Which side do you fall on when you are really trying to pinch pennies?

2 comments

2 Comments

troy_butler72d ago

Tucking a burner and noodles is smart for peace of mind but the whole point of Vietnam is the street food, you'd miss the best part of the trip. That sketchy spring roll was probably just bad luck, most stalls are super clean because they cook everything fresh right in front of you. Splurging the extra dollar or two a meal on banh mi and pho is way worth it for the experience and you are still only spending like $5-$7 a day on food.

robinl902d agoMost Upvoted

Carrying instant noodles let me skip the long waits at busy stalls and eat whenever I wanted.